POULTNEY — A Wells man who told police he took a park vehicle without permission at Lake St. Catherine State Park to escape an angry group of men was arrested by Vermont State Police who charged him with driving drunk.

Bryan Palfey, 48, wasn’t charged with taking the park truck, which was reported stolen Wednesday night by a park manager, but he was issued a citation to appear in court next month to answer to a charge of DUI for allegedly driving the vehicle drunk.

Police were called to the park at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday for a report that a truck had been stolen. When they arrived, they found that the manager had recovered the vehicle and the man who took it.

Palfey told police that he took the truck because he feared harm from a group of men with whom he had previously argued.